The Osceola times., 1887-04-02
TESTING" CONDUCTORS.
How Railroad Keeps Track Of It's
Receipts.
What n Private Detective Divulged About
One Branch Of His CaiIing-Comp piicated
Character of His Work ON Heavily
batronized Railroads.

MOODY has converted railroad con
ductor,' said Central Station detec
tive, land suppose the railroad com
pany will receive the rebates from the
fares he has knocked down for tn,
last ten years. He will have to sell his
brick house and 90 into the deposit
vaults for the doodle he has put
away"
DO all conductors steal?" asked O
listener.
by no means. Ordinarily they are
fully as honest as any other set OF
men"
"Who is it that undertakes TO tell
just how much TO a cent conductor
steals in making a trip
"Who? Why, private detective agen-
cies. of course. The reason why hap
pen 10 know so much about this matter
is because was in the Union Pacific
test as well rs a score Of Others while
employed by n detective agency in this
city. 1t is not light undertaking for
the man who has charge of big test.
for sometimes as many as thirty detec-
tiyes are under his supervision. and he
has to have the ability of n train
dispatcher to keep them travelling all
the time, so that there will be no mis-
takes made"
"Can you tell exactly how much a
conductor fakes that does not belong to
him?n
"Yes; you can always be sure that
he ought to turn in at least as much
as your report shows. and if there is
any difference his cash mt the end of
the trip must exceed your report of his
receipts
what is the plan of testing conduc-
tors?"
"Well, it is complicated, and man
to thoroughly understand it must study
book of instructions not less than
four weeks. The system used by the
most famous detective agency in this
country was only perfected after years
OF toll and experience, and is. perhaps,
the onl y complete system in use. The
manner of distributing the men along
the line of railroad where the test is to
take place is matter wholly with the
one who has charge of the operation.
and may differ in different cases.
will explain how one train is managed
on continuous trip, or while in charge
Of a sing.e conductor. We will say
the train consists of an engine. bag
gage-car, smoker and two coaches. Ii
will take six detectives to test that CON
ductor or two TO each car carrying
passengers. When the train starts on
run two detectives enter each car.
taking seats at opposite ends of each
coach, facing each other. They buy
their tickets or pay fare, just
as it happens. although one ought
to have ticket if the other pays
cash. No notice is paid to the tickets
collected by the conductor, but each
'spotter' must know as near as can be
ascertained how much money is re-
ceived from each passenger. For con-
vcnicnce the seats on each side of the
car are designated by number begin
ming at the front The detective does
not know what the tariff is between the
stations, but when II passenger boards
the train he takes mental note of
where he gets on, the seat he occupies,
the amount and kind of money he gives
the conductor, and where he leaves the
train. The computation Of what he
should have paid the conductor is all
done at the main Office of the agency
when the detectives report is sent in
When large number of passengers
take the train the work is very confus-
ing, and any but level head would be
utterly at a loss to retain in the MEM
ory the several amounts paid and where
the passenger boarded and left the car.
When the train has left station where
large number of passengers came on
board, the 'spotter' waits until all
have paid their fare or given tickets.
when he retires TO convenient place
and inseribes in his notebook the out
line of report as follows: Old man,
40 years of age, took train at B;
wore plug hat. dark-gray overcoat.
black pants, full gray beard. Stood at
rear Of car q moment after entering.
then took rear seat. left hand. Gave
conductor s. bill, and received in
change II silver dollar, a j0-cent piece.
two dimes and a nickel Rode TO
W. THO spotser's report at the